Arizona Wildcats
Gary Brightwell will be the Wildcats’ first-string running back, but the UA has enough depth to use multiple players in big situations.
2019 record: 4-8, 2-7 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Kevin Sumlin (9-15 in third season at Arizona, 95-58 in 12 seasons overall)
Stage time: Arizona Stadium (50,782 capacity)
Headliners: QB Grant Gunnell, WR Brian Casteel, WR Jamarye Joiner, OT Donovan Laie, DE Jalen Harris, DB Lorenzo Burns
Warmup acts: DL Regen Terry, RB Jalen John
Punchlines: Arizona has winnable tilts in back-to-back weeks at UCLA (Nov. 28) and hosting Colorado (Dec. 5)
Hecklers: Is there a tougher slate to open the Pac-12 then the Cats’ 1-2 punch at Utah (Nov. 7) and hosting USC (Nov. 14)?
Gag reel: Arizona has been the punching bag of the Pac-12 for going on two decades. A startling fact for Wildcat fans: Arizona has lost more league games than any other conference team since 2000. Yikes. Last year, Arizona reeled off four straight wins — including wins over UCLA and at Colorado — before the wheels came off. The Cats will need to get more from an offense that averaged nine points over the final three games last year.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels starred as a true freshman in 2019, and is expected to be even better this fall.
2019 record: 8-5, 4-5 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Herm Edwards (15-11 in third season at Arizona State, 15-11 in 2 seasons overall)
Stage: Sun Devil Stadium (53,599 capacity)
Headliners: QB Jayden Daniels, WR Frank Darby, OL Dohnovan West, DL Jermayne Lole, LB Merlin Robertson, DB Jack Jones, P Michael Turk
Warmup acts: RB Daniyel Ngata, RB DeaMonte Trayanum, WR LV Bunkley-Shelton, ATH Alijah Badger, WR Johnny Wilson
Punchlines: Arizona State will look to end its season on a high note with December clashes against UCLA and at Arizona.
Hecklers: The Sun Devils could get a rude awakening to the season, and it’ll come early: ASU travels to USC for a 10 a.m. tilt with the No. 21 Trojans on Saturday.
Gag reel: Just when the Sun Devils started opening some eyes with a 5-1 start, including two top-20 wins in three weeks, Herm’s crew lost four straight, including embarrassing mid-season losses to UCLA and Oregon State. If ASU can avoid hitting the skids, Edwards can continue to build on his already-promising start.
Cal Golden Bears
2019 record: 8-5, 4-5 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Justin Wilcox (20-18 in fourth season at Cal, 20-18 in three seasons overall)
Stage time: California Memorial Stadium (82,467 capacity)
Headliners: QB Chase Garbers, RB Christopher Brown Jr., WR Nikko Remigio, OL Michael Saffell, OL Jake Curhan, LB Kuony Deng, LB Cameron Goode,
Warmup acts: TE D’Andre Rogers, RB Chris Street, WR Jeremiah Hunter, DB Dejuan Butler
Punchlines: Cal has a forgiving early schedule — if Washington rolls over in Week 1 like it did last year — with ASU, Cal and Stanford in Weeks 2-4.
Hecklers: The Bears could be 4-0 before they host No. 14 Oregon on Dec. 5.
Gag reel: Wilcox is known as a terrific defensive coach, so it’s no surprise that the Bears held nine teams to under 21 points last year. But that Cal offense — woof. The Bears ranked second-worst among Power 5 teams in offensive efficiency.
Colorado Buffaloes
Karl Dorrell smiles during a news conference to announce that he is the new NCAA college head football coach at Colorado during a news conference Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Boulder, Colo.
2019 record: 5-7, 3-6 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Karl Dorrell (0-0 in first season at Colorado, 35-27 in 5 seasons overall)
Stage time: Folsom Field (50,183 capacity)
Headliners: RB Alex Fontenot, WR K.D. Nixon, TE Brady Russell, OL William Sherman, DL Antonio Alfano, LB Nate Landman
Warmup acts: QB Brendon Lewis, RB Ashaad Clayton, DE Jason Harris, S Christian Gonzalez, OL Jake Wray
Punchlines: The Buffaloes have a chance to get off on the right foot with UCLA and a road test at Stanford to open the season.
Hecklers: Utah comes to Boulder on Dec. 11 for the Rumble in the Rockies, which the Utes dominated, 45-15, last year.
Gag reel: Mel Tucker talked a big game and had the Buffalo faithful ready to run through a wall for him...then promptly bounced for Michigan State after one season. In comes Dorrell, whose previous head-coaching stint in the Pac-12 — at UCLA from 2003-2007 — was a bust.
Oregon Ducks
Oregon running back CJ Verdell (34) breaks a tackle by Michigan State safety Khari Willis (27) during the second half of the Redbox Bowl NCAA college football game Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Santa Clara, Calif. Oregon won 7-6. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
2019 record: 12-2, 8-1 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Mario Cristobal (21-7 in third season at Oregon, 48-54 in nine seasons overall)
Stage time: Autzen Stadium (55,675 capacity)
Headliners: QB Tyler Slough, RB CJ Verdell, WR Johnny Johnson, TE Cam McCormick, DL Kayvon Thibodeaux, LB Issac Slade-Matautia,
Warmup acts: LB Justin Flowe, LB Noah Sowell, DB Dontae Manning, QB Jay Butterfield
Punchlines: The Ducks may have the softest schedule in the country, if not the conference. Oregon’s lone matchup with a Pac-12 South squad is UCLA — a gift from the scheduling gods.
Hecklers: There isn’t a blip in the bunch. At Wazzu? Never fun. At Corvallis? A test. But Oregon is set up for a big year — or, at least, a big half-year.
Gag reel: The Ducks lose a ton of talent from last season’s terrific squad — most noticeably quarterback Justin Herbert, defensive stud Troy Dye and four offensive line starters — but Cristobal brought in a top-tier recruiting class.
Oregon State Beavers
Oregon State running back Jermar Jefferson (22) has rushed for 100 or more yards eight times in 11 games this season — as a freshman.
2019 record: 5-7, 4-5 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Jonathan Smith (7-17 in third season at Oregon State, 7-17 in two seasons overall)
Stage time: Reser Stadium (43,643 capacity)
Headliners: RB Jermar Jefferson, WR Trevon Bradford, OL Brandon Kipper, LB Hamilcar Rashed Jr., LB Omar Speights, DL Isaac Hodgins, DB David Morris
Warmup acts: ATH Isaiah Newell, QB Chance Nolan, DB Alton Julian, DB Rezjohn Wright, QB Ben Gulbranson
Punchlines: Oregon State opens the season with their neighbors to the north, as Washington State comes to town before a tussle with the Huskies. Win two straight and they could look at their first .500 season in ages.
Hecklers: If the home-state Ducks have the easist schedule in the conference, OSU might have the hardest. First off, Oregon doesn’t play itself, but the Beavers do. Also, the one Pac-12 South foe in the abbreviated season is a test at Utah, never easy.
Gag reel: Coming off a promising five-win season, the Beavers will look to take another step forward despite having to replace the passing prowess of quarterback Jake Luton and stud wideout Isaiah Hodgins, who left Corvallis early for NFL riches.
Stanford Cardinal
FILE - In this Dec. 1, 2018, file photo, Stanford coach David Shaw watches during the team's NCAA college football game against California in Berkeley, Calif. The Pac-12 has discussed the possibility of moving to an 11-game, all-conference schedule this year amid the unprecedented uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, Southern California's Clay Helton says. Shaw also says he doesn't necessarily agree with NCAA President Mark Emmert's belief that college campuses should be open for college sports to resume. (AP Photo/John Hefti, File)
2019 record: 4-8, 3-6 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: David Shaw (86-34 in 10th season at Stanford, 86-34 in nine seasons overall)
Stage time: Stanford Stadium (50,424 capacity)
Headliners: RB Austin Jones, OL Drew Dalman, WR Simi Fehoko, LB Ricky Miezan
Warmup acts: OL Myles Hinton, WR John Humphreys, OL Levi Rogers, OL Connor McLaughlin
Punchlines: Daunting road tasks at Cal and Washington are sandwiched by winnable home tilts with Washington State and Oregon State.
Hecklers: Well, someone had to open up with Oregon. The Ducks host the Cardinal on Nov. 7, and while the rest of the schedule is forgiving, a bad start can linger.
Gag reel: Is the shine off David Shaw’s program? Slipping to 4-8 — its worst season in more than a decade — Stanford doesn’t have the talent to retool quickly. Worse, the recruiting up front on both sides is nowhere near what it once was.
UCLA Bruins
2019 record: 4-8, 4-5 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Chip Kelly (7-17 in third season at UCLA, 53-24 in six seasons overall)
Stage time: Rose Bowl (92,542 capacity)
Headliners: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, RB Demetric Felton, WR Kyle Philips, OL Jake Burton, DL Osa Odighizuwa, DB Obi Eboh
Warmup acts: LB Damian Sellers, QB Parker McQuarrie, WR Logan Loya, LB Jonathan Vaughns
Punchlines: The Bruins’ season might be decided in a two-game swing against the Arizona schools, as the Wildcats come to the Rose Bowl on Nov. 28 and UCLA travels to Tempe a week later.
Hecklers: Sandwiching those two games are matchups with Oregon and USC. Good luck with that.
Gag reel: It’s show-me time for Kelly, who has lost more than twice as many games as he’s won in Westwood and now faces scrutiny over expenses. A Los Angeles Times report last month showed that the Bruins spent $5.4 million for non-travel-related meals last year. No other Pac-12 team spent more than $1.2 million.
USC Trojans
Southern California wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (8) raises his arms after a touchdown reception against UCLA during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
2019 record: 8-5, 7-2 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Clay Helton (40-22 in sixth season at USC, 40-22 in five seasons overall)
Stage time: Los Angeles Coliseum (55,675 capacity)
Headliners: QB Kedon Slovis, RB Vavae Malepeai, WR Tyler Vaughns, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, DE Drake Jackson, DB Talanoa Hufanga
Warmup acts: WR Gary Bryant Jr., OL Jonah Monheim, DL Tuli Tuipulotu, WR Josh Jackson
Punchlines: Much like Oregon, USC has a cupcake schedule that should put it in prime position to improve on a No. 21 ranking. Opening with the Arizona schools bodes well.
Hecklers: The lone Pac-12 North opponent on the schedule — Washington State — doesn’t have the horses to keep up with the Trojans, but with Mike Leach off to Mississippi State, it’ll be an entirely new look.
Gag reel: After a stunning 5-7 campaign in 2018, the Trojans bounced back to go 8-5 last year, but 8-5 doesn’t cut it for USC faithful. Clay Helton’s seat remains warm, but the soft schedule could cool it down.
Utah Utes
The University of Utah campus, including Rice-Eccles Stadium.
2019 record: 11-3, 8-1 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Kyle Whittingham (131-63 in 15th season at Arizona, 86-43 in 14 seasons overall)
Stage time: Rice-Eccles Stadium (45,807 capacity)
Headliners: TE Brant Kuithe, WR Britain Covey, DL Mika Tafua, DB Bronson Boyd, LB Devin Lloyd
Warmup acts: DB Clark Phillips III, DE Van Fillinger, DE Xavier Carlton, S Nate Richie, TE Connor O’Toole
Punchlines: With Oregon State serving as patsy, err, the Utes’ sole Pac-12 North foe, things are looking up for Utah. Closing out the campaign with Oregon State and at Colorado is a plus.
Hecklers: Lucky for Utah, the lone beast in the offing is USC, and the Trojans come to SLC in Week 3.
Gag reel: After climbing to No. 5 in the country and 11-1 on the season, the Utes crashed in back-to-back losses to Oregon (in the Pac-12 title game) and Texas (in the Alamo Bowl). It’ll be a tall task to reach the same heights, but Whittingham has the chops to get the Utes past last year’s disappointment.
Washington Huskies
Jimmy Lake’s first head coaching position will start in the midst of a pandemic as he takes over for Chris Petersen at Washington.
2019 record: 8-5, 4-5 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Jimmy Lake (0-0 in first season at Washington, 0-0 in zero seasons overall)
Stage time: Husky Stadium (70,083 capacity)
Headliners: RB Richard Newton, OL Jaxson Kirkland, OL Luke Watternberg, TE Cade Otton, DB Elijah Molden, DB Cam Williams
Warmup acts: DE Sav’ell Smalls, WR Jalen McMillan, OL Myles Murao, QB Ethan Garbers, OL Roger Rosengarten
Punchlines: Weeks 2-5 could prove fruitful for the Huskies, who host Oregon State, Arizona and Stanford — while traveling just up the road for the Apple Cup against Wazzu — in the month-long stretch.
Hecklers: If the middle of the schedule is kind to Washington, the two ends are less forgiving, as the Huskies open at Cal and close at Oregon.
Gag reel: Chris Petersen is out, having failed to lift U-Dub to the heights once expected after he dominated at Boise State. In comes former defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake. Can Lake get the Huskies back to the Pac-12 elite? That’s the task.
Washington State Cougars
FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, file photo, Hawaii head coach Nick Rolovich walks the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Boise State, in Boise, Idaho. Nick Rolovich dived right in when Washington State hired him in January. Just when it seemed like things were up and rolling, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The national shutdown hurt coaches across college football as they prepare for the 2020-21 season, but it was particularly difficult on programs with first-year coaches trying to build something new from the ground up. (AP Photo/Steve Conner, File)
2019 record: 6-7, 3-6 in Pac-12 play
Head booker: Nick Rolovich (0-0 in first season at Washington State, 28-27 in four seasons overall)
Stage time: Martin Stadium (32,952 capacity)
Headliners: RB Max Borghi, WR Tay Martin, WR Renard Bell, OL Liam Ryan, OL Abraham Lucas, LB Justus Rogers, DB Skyler Thomas, DB Derrick Langford
Warmup acts: QB Jayden de Laura, DB Alphonse Oywak, WR Joey Hobert, OL James McNorton
Punchlines: Rolovich could have a tough sledding as there aren’t many easy matchups on the slate. A Week 1 showing with Oregon State at least gives the Cougs a chance to start the season on a winning note.
Hecklers: Washington State is one of just a couple of Pac-12 teams to contend with multiple ranked teams. The Cougars will host Oregon and head to USC, luckily with two games in between.
Gag reel: Mike Leach is gone, and he took his giant sword and caustic personality with him to Mississippi State. Can Rolovich provide a breath of fresh air for Wazzu? He comes after a four-year stint in Hawaii.
